Why would someone who has stood up to the Russian government multiple times, had a company taken away from him already for not being compliant and is now living in exile hand control of Telegram to that same government?

"Probably the best-known test to see if someone was a witch was the swimming test Basically, if you found someone you suspected of being an old crone, you’d drag them to a pond and chuck them in. If they sank, they’re were innocent (and probably dead) but if they floated they were guilty…and quickly executed."

Russia, of course, has a long history of disinformation and propaganda. But it seems to me like there isn't a trust problem with Telegram right now, so why is the Kremlin throwing this charade if current targets are already using Telegram and trust it? Surely it would be in their interest to lie low and (supposedly) collect data through a backdoor than risk having their bluff called and being forced to ban it?